Page 28 of Seas and Scepters

We watched from the stern as the harbor receded, my father's figure growing smaller until he was just a dark silhouette against the fiery sunset.Something inside me ached at the finality of that image—the king standing alone on the dock, watching his son and heir sail away from everything he had been raised to become.

"I'm sorry," Selene whispered, her hand finding mine in the gathering darkness.

"Don't be," I said, squeezing her fingers gently."This was my choice.A choice I would make again without hesitation."

Night fell as we sailed southward, the stars emerging one by one like scattered diamonds across the velvet sky.The captain, true to his word, asked no questions about our hasty departure or the royal guards who had tried to prevent it.He simply informed us that we would reach the southern coast by mid-afternoon the following day and then left us to our privacy.

We stood at the rail, watching the phosphorescent wake of the ship cutting through the dark water.Selene seemed drawn to the sea, her eyes reflecting the mysterious lights dancing beneath the surface.

"When you return to your true form," I said softly, "will you remember your time as a human?Will you remember...us?"

She turned to me, her expression solemn in the moonlight."I will remember everything.Every touch, every word, every moment.Sirens never forget, Eirik.It's both our blessing and our burden."

"And will you regret it?The lives you couldn't take, the throne you might lose?"

"No," she said, her certainty warming me more than any fire could have."Whatever comes next, I will never regret choosing you."

I pulled her close, breathing in the scent of salt and jasmine that clung to her hair.Tomorrow we would face the Sea Witch Morgana, whatever price she demanded, whatever fate awaited us.But tonight, on this ship sailing through star-dappled waters, we had this moment of peace—two beings from different worlds, bound by a love that defied our mortal coils.

"Whatever happens tomorrow," I murmured against her temple, "know that I love you.Siren or human, princess or commoner—I love who you are, who you've been, who you will become."

"And I love you," she whispered back."Scarred prince, future king, or something else entirely—I love you beyond reason or remedy."

We remained at the rail until the moon reached its zenith, casting a silver path across the waves—a road of light leading south, toward Widow's Reef, toward whatever future awaited us beyond the boundaries of our separate worlds.

Morning brought clear skies and a favorable wind that pushed us swiftly along the coastline.I spent the early hours studying my mother's journal, memorizing the summoning glyphs and the ritual Morgana would expect.Selene remained at the bow, her eyes fixed on the horizon, occasionally singing softly to herself in a language I didn't recognize but instinctively understood was not meant for human ears.

By mid-afternoon, as the captain had promised, we sighted the distinctive rock formations of Widow's Reef—jagged spires of black stone rising from the sea like the fingers of a drowning giant.The captain refused to approach too closely, citing sailors' superstitions about the place, but agreed to send us ashore in the ship's small boat.

"I'll wait until nightfall," he told us gruffly."No longer.These waters are cursed after dark."

With my mother's journal secured inside my shirt and a small pack of supplies slung over my shoulder, I helped Selene into the rowboat.The closer we got to the reef, the more Selene seemed to transform before my eyes.Her movements became more fluid, her eyes brighter, her skin taking on a subtle luminescence that hadn't been visible before.

"The magic is stronger here," she explained, noting my observation."The boundary between worlds thins as we approach the reef.I can feel the sea calling to me, recognizing what I truly am."

We landed on a narrow strip of black sand beach nestled between towering cliffs.The sun was already beginning its descent toward the horizon, casting long shadows across the alien landscape.Following the map in my mother's journal, we made our way along the shore until we reached a natural amphitheater formed by the curve of the reef—a perfect half-circle of stone embracing a deep pool of unnaturally still water.

"This is the place," Selene said, her voice hushed with reverence and apprehension."The Calling Pool.It's said that Morgana can hear her name spoken here from anywhere in the seven seas."

We spent the remaining daylight hours gathering what we needed for the ritual—specific shells arranged in patterns on the sand, strands of seaweed woven into complex knots, a small fire built from driftwood collected along the shore.As night fell, the pool began to glow with an eerie blue-green light that seemed to emanate from far below its surface.

"It's time," Selene said as the moon rose, full and bright, directly above the pool."Are you certain you want to proceed?Once the witch is summoned, there's no turning back from whatever bargain she offers."

I took her hands in mine, looking deeply into her eyes."I've never been more certain of anything in my life."

Together, we spoke the ancient words inscribed in my mother's journal, our voices blending in the still night air.Selene's pronunciation was perfect, the syllables flowing from her lips as naturally as if she had been born speaking this eldritch tongue.I followed her lead, the unfamiliar sounds awkward on my human tongue but gaining power from her certainty.

As the final words faded into silence, the pool's glow intensified, pulsing like a massive heartbeat.The surface of the water began to roil and churn, though no wind disturbed the air around us.A low humming filled the amphitheater, vibrating through the soles of my feet and into my very bones.

Then, with a sound like the inhale before a scream, the pool's center erupted in a geyser of glowing water that rose higher and higher, twisting into a vaguely humanoid shape before collapsing back into the pool with a thunderous splash.Where the column of water had been, a figure now floated on the surface—a woman, or something that had chosen to appear as one.

Morgana, the Sea Witch, had answered our call.

She drifted toward the edge of the pool where we waited, her form becoming clearer as she approached.Her skin was the pale blue-green of deep ocean water, her hair a writhing mass of what appeared to be living seaweed and small, darting fish.Her eyes were black from edge to edge, like polished obsidian, reflecting nothing of the moonlight that illuminated everything else.

"Well, well," she said, her voice carrying the echo of waves crashing against distant shores."What an interesting pair you make.The scarred prince of Vaelthorne and the exiled princess of the Obsidian Deep."Her smile revealed teeth like those of a predatory fish, sharp and numerous."I have been watching your story unfold with great interest."

I stepped forward, bowing formally as I would to any royal visitor."Lady Morgana, we come seeking your assistance."

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